The normal login process for a mobile device such as a mobile phone involves entry of a password for a single user at an interface with/to the device.
FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates procedures typically associated with logging in to a conventional mobile device having an Android Operating System. At module 2, upon device startup, the initialization process, unit, launches (spawns) getty, a program that, among other things, sets the device configuration for the user and spawns a login process. At module 4, getty launches the login process, which first prompts the user to enter a password for access to the mobile device. At module 6, with a proper password entered, getty continues to execute the login process. Module 8 represents creation, by the login process, of a user shell in user space for the user that has logged in. This user shell, unique to the user, implements known configuration information for the user, for example, a particular text font, file histories, a default editor, etc. This configuration information resides in a folder known as the etc folder (see module 10). Module 12 represents a shell prompt that signals completion of the login process, indicating that the shell has been created, and programs and processes are ready for execution in accordance with the shell.
Applicable reference numbers have been carried forward.